Simple Things
by LeaO'Neill
Summary: Jack just wants to watch a movie


Title: Simple Things

Author: Lea O'Neill

Category: Humor/Romance

Rating: G

Pairing: Jack/other; implied Daniel/Sam

Season: any

Spoilers: none Size: 52kb

Summary: Jack just wants to watch a movie!

Comments: Thanks to my Beta: (Bonnie) for all her hard work!  
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement intended. The original characters, situations and story are property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without author consent.

* * *

SIMPLE THINGS  
  
Nicki took a bag of hot popcorn out of the microwave and shook it to distribute the butter. She poured it into a large bowl. Setting that on the counter, she got a beer from the refrigerator for Jack, looking longingly at the amber bottle. She remembered with fondness what cool beer caressing her throat as it went smoothly down tasted like. She sighed and got a caffeine free Diet Coke from the cold shelf. Geeze, what kind of weirdo invented caffeine free diet coke? The whole thing was an oxy-moron.But, if not for the beverage, she'd have nothing to drink. She was a self proclaimed Diet Coke addict, but since becoming pregnant, she tried to lay off caffeine, as well as too much sugar.  
  
Jack called to her from the living room, where he was putting on a DVD movie, a Roy Rogers classic.  
  
"Coming," she yelled back.  
  
But Jack was already half way to the kitchen, wearing his pajama bottoms and a tee shirt that had a faded Air Force emblem on the front. Before reaching the room, he stubbed his toe on the box containing the crib they'd purchased two weeks ago and had not yet put together in the not yet finished nursery.  
  
Jack lifted his damaged foot and hopped on the other one, uttering a string of expletives.  
  
Nicki raised her eyebrows. "You kiss your wife with that mouth O'Neill?" she asked.  
  
Jack gave a pitiful look at his toe, then a frown at the box that had caused him the wound. Then he glanced at Nicki, who stood, one hand on her hip, the other on her convex abdomen.  
  
"You know, the baby can hear everything?" she said, again laying a guilt trip on her partner. "You want it's first word to rhyme with 'duck'?"  
  
Jack shrugged. "Whoops. I'll try to cut down," he promised.  
  
"Maybe we'll get that crib up this weekend."  
  
Jack nodded. "Sure, sure," he agreed.  
  
Nicki good-naturedly rolled her eyes. She handed him the beer.  
  
Jack took it, realizing that was the reason he'd come to the kitchen in the first place.  
  
"Can we watch the movie now?"  
  
Nicki carried the popcorn into the living room and lowered herself onto the sofa. Jack watched the process with some amusement. Although it was more fun watching her try to get up again.  
  
Nicki noticed him watching. "Wipe off that smirk buddy," she told him. "I'd like to see you jump around with a small watermelon strapped around your waist."  
  
Jack grinned wider and leapt onto the sofa from behind, exuding his cat-like grace.  
  
"Show off," Nicki admonished, tossing a piece of popcorn at him.  
  
Jack leaned over and rubbed her abdomen, through the fabric of her Denver Bronco's shirt. "Aw, you'll be back in shape in no time," he assured her. "I don't know anyone who likes to sweat more than you do."  
  
Nicki chuckled and Jack hit the button to start the movie.  
  
Then the doorbell rang.  
  
"Aw for cryin' out loud," Jack said, getting up, stopping the DVD for the second time.  
  
Jack found Samantha Carter on his front porch.  
  
"Hey, Carter, he greeted.  
  
"Hi, Sir, I…uh…well, would you believe I was in the neighborhood?"  
  
He shook his head. "No, but come in anyway."  
  
She came in from outside.  
  
"Spill it Carter. What's up?" he noticed she was wearing a rather nice pants suit under her usual leather jacket.  
  
She shook her head, and Jack thought he detected a hint of a blush.  
  
"Oh, this is silly. I shouldn't have come. I'm interrupting your evening-"  
  
"Carter!" Jack said firmly, holding up his hand to ward off further excuses on his 2IC's lips. "Date gone bad?"  
  
Carter shifted uncomfortably, and shrugged.  
  
"Well, we're watching a movie. Go in the kitchen, grab a beer, I'm gonna go get you some clothes. No self respecting Major should be caught dead wearing a Channel pants suit on a weekend."  
  
Carter was about to start a string of protests, but again, Jack cut her off.  
  
"Ah! That's an order."  
  
"Yes, sir," Carter said, glad Jack had let her off the hook easily. All she'd really wanted was company and he somehow saw through all the bullshit without making her uncomfortable.  
  
She went into the living room.  
  
Nicki saw her and smiled. "Hey Sam," she greeted.  
  
"Hi. Sorry to butt in. I was kinda having a lousy evening. I was just going to stop by for a minute but…"  
  
"We're just about to watch a movie. Sit down," Nicki invited.  
  
She and Samantha had become closer as the SGC Major had grown to accept that Nicole was not going to hurt Jack, as she had at first feared. And Sam had helped Nicki by introducing her to Jacob, who'd successfully used a healing device to ensure that Nicki could give birth to her child.  
"I really feel stupid about this," Sam continued.  
  
Nicki shook her head. "Don't be silly. You're welcome any time." She glanced to see if Jack was still in the other room. "Uh, I take it the 'date' didn't go to well?"  
  
Sam shook her head. She'd confided to Nicki two days ago that she was finally giving in to constant requests for a date on Saturday night.  
  
"It was just…awkward," Sam said with a shrug. "I hate to admit it, but I excused myself to go to the bathroom, and I took off. I'm so embarrassed. How am I ever going to face him?"  
  
Nicki smiled understandingly. "Like the professional you are. And tell him you got a bad oyster or something," she also added.  
  
Jack returned with a pair of his sweat pants and one of Nicki's tee shirts, in her pre-pregnant size. He tossed them to Carter.  
  
"Now go change, then hustle back in here so we can see this movie."  
  
Sam took the things to the bathroom.  
  
Jack sat back down next to Nicki and retrieved the remote from the end table. Then the doorbell rang again.  
  
"Oh for Pete's sake!" Jack said, exasperated. He went to the door, again.  
Teal'c, in a fedora hat and raincoat stood there expectantly.  
  
Jack couldn't have been more surprised. Although Teal'c was allowed to travel as freely from the base as any other employee, he rarely ventured past it's confines alone.  
"Uh, Teal'c?"  
  
"O'Neill, I desired to eat the food you call Taco Bell."  
  
Jack stepped back and let in the big guy, who carried two equally big sacks bearing the unmistakable Bell logo.  
  
"You went to the Taco Beanery?" Jack asked, using one of many variations of the name he often chose for the fast food restaurant.  
  
"I did."  
  
Jack followed Teal'c into his kitchen, where the warrior began laying out all manner of food products from Taco Bell.  
  
"You buy one of everything on the menu, or what?" Jack asked.  
"Yes," Teal'c answered in all sincerity. "It was the only way to obtain a sample of everything."  
  
Jack nodded. "I guess so. Well, Nicki'll be glad to see all this food."  
  
About then, Nicki and Sam, in her barrowed clothes, came in to the kitchen.  
  
"Teal'c! Hi," Nicki greeted.  
He bowed to her. "MajorWalker. You are well?"  
  
She nodded. "Oooh, you brought food!" she said with delight. "Get outta my way Jack," she said humorously.  
  
"Teal'c found Taco Bender," Jack explained, then stood aside. "Never come between a pregnant woman and food," he wisely advised Teal'c.  
  
The big Jaffa raised an eyebrow and nodded.  
  
They all got food, Teal'c indeed sampling one of everything.  
  
Jack and Nicki went back to the couch with their plates. Teal'c took his food to the table in front of the fireplace, while Sam sat cross-legged on the big armchair with her tacos.  
  
Jack, now completely content, a burrito in one hand, beer in the other, and beautiful woman beside him (the three of 5 important "B"s in his life. The other two involved said woman's anatomy and his favorite place to sleep. But he'd investigate those later.) He pushed "play" on the remote.  
  
Just as the opening credits began to the singing of Roy Rogers, the doorbell rang.  
  
"Oh for the love of Mike," Jack admonished. Now he was sure it was some sort of conspiracy to keep him from watching his movie.  
  
He stomped to the door this time and threw it open.  
  
Daniel Jackson stood there, hand poised in front of the bell. He was taken aback by Jack's abrupt appearance.  
  
Jack grabbed the younger man's suit jacket lapel and dragged him inside.  
  
"Don't say a word Danny. Get a beer. Help yourself to food from the Taco Buster. Then find a seat. We're watching a movie."  
  
Daniel didn't argue with Jack. He could see this was not the time. He'd really wanted to talk with Jack, but apparently it would wait.  
"And what the Sam Hill are you doing in a suit on a Saturday night?"  
  
"I uh…"  
  
Jack shook his head. "Never mind. I don't want to know. I want to watch my movie. Go find some clothes in my room if you wanna get outta that get up." With in moments, Daniel had gotten the beer, as well as a burrito, but declined the clothes, taking off his jacket and tie, and made his way into the living room. He saw that Sam was there, as well as Teal'c.  
  
Sam saw Daniel, and turned her head to avoid having him see her blush. Nicki noticed the exchange, but didn't say anything. Daniel took a seat by Teal'c.  
  
"Now, can we watch the movie, please?" Jack asked, a hint of strain creeping into his voice.  
  
"Well, I can't think of anyone else who'd be coming over," Nicki said.  
  
Jack hit the button to resume playing.  
  
Roy had just begun a shootout with the black hated bad guy, when-surprise- the doorbell.  
  
"That's it!" Jack cried out, jumping off the couch. "Whoever it is, better have a big honkin' gun! Cause that's the only way they're coming in to interrupt my movie!"  
  
Jack threw open the door, ready to let the bell ringer have a piece of his mind. "General Hammond, sir," was all that came out, when he saw hi CO standing there with a box in his hands.  
  
"Colonel," Hammond greeted. "Sorry to bother your weekend, but the girls baked up a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies and made me promise I'd bring some over."  
  
Jack loved Hammond's granddaughters' chocolate chip cookies!  
  
He held open the door. "Well, come on in. Everyone else has," he said with a sigh.  
  
"Hey everyone, look who's here!" he announced to the room full of wanna be movie watchers. The General was greeted warmly.  
"Did I hear someone say cookies?" Nicki asked.  
"Fresh, warm and homemade," Hammond said with a smile, setting the box on the coffee table. "Well, I better get going."

"We're going to watch a Roy Rogers movie," Daniel told him then. "You should stay."

"Oh, I better not-" Hammond tried to beg off, although the gathering did look pleasant. It wasn't often he got invited to any of these team functions…

"Come on George," Jack said then, all his previous bluster forgotten. He knew his CO, like himself not that long ago, had nothing better to do on a Saturday night then eat a late dinner and go to bed. "Besides, Teal'c brought enough food from Taco Hut to feed a small country." "Well…"

"Got your seat warmed up right here," Nicki said, patting the seat of the couch next to her.  
  
"Well, then, I don't mind if I do." So the General, in civvies looking very un-general like, sat down next to Nicki, whom he was as fond of as a daughter.  
  
"Now, back to Roy," Jack said, hitting the button and taking his seat on Nicki's other side.

This time, there were no interruptions.  
  
Sam snuck from the room halfway through the old western. Daniel spotted her and followed into the kitchen.  
She was getting a glass of water when he came in.  
"Uh, Sam?" She turned. He looked at her, anticipating a response. "You get a bad oyster or something?" he asked then.  
  
Sam turned three shades of red. "I'm really sorry Daniel," she gushed then. "I just…things were getting a little out of my hands and it was uncomfortable and I didn't know what to say, so I just left. I know it was wrong, and I really didn't mean to…"  
  
Daniel smiled a little. "It's okay. You don't have to. That's what's nice about being as good friends as we are. We don't have to trip over our lips apologizing."  
  
Sam smiled; glad Daniel was being so gracious about letting her off that easily.  
  
"Maybe we just took it too fast," he said. "Maybe we should try coffee next time."

"Maybe," Sam agreed.

So, Teal'c got to sample every kind of food sold at Taco Bell. Sam and Daniel had a date…almost. George Hammond got to spend time with good friends. Nicki got to see just how much Jack meant not just to her, but also to his friends. And Jack finally got to watch his movie. 


End file.
